Toumani Diabate, Logan Square Auditorium, 1/29/08

I saw Toumani Diabate last night...it was really magical. Toumani is regarded as the worlds best Kora player, which in itself is an accomplishment. When you realize that the Kora is probably one of the most difficult and intricate instruments...well then that's a feat! It was a lively show with his symmetric orchestra, but the best bits were when it got all quiet and Toumani did a few Kora solos. Honestly, it's one of the most haunting instruments I've heard.
Toumani, a Malian griot- which means "bard" or storyteller- is part of a kora playing dynasty. His father was the first person to ever record a kora album. The griots are the historians of western Africa, they preserve 500 year old songs and tell stories through music.
Toumani seemed like a really humble and kind sort of a person, but you can tell by the way his other band members treat him, that he is definitely regarded as a legend.
His talents are coveted by tons of western musicians, he was recently on Bjork's latest album...and of course the way I heard about him....on the Mali Music album with Damon Albarn and Afel Bocoum (a Malian guitarist and singer).

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